Corporation To Build New Rice Mill At Port Of Pine Bluff

Economic development officials say a new rice mill is headed to Pine Bluff. The state announced Monday that Southwind Milling Co. LLC will build a rice mill at the city's port.

The corporation is part of Optimum Group, which has been farming in Mississippi Delta states since 2010.

Construction of the new mill is expected to begin immediately at the site in the Pine Bluff Port's Harbor Industrial District. Officials say the plant will be operational by February 2015 and will initially employ 25 people.

Southmind Milling says it plans a future expansion at the port and will double the rice mill's capacity and build a rice flourmill.

Related Content

Georgia-Pacific says it will invest $40 million in an expansion at its Fort Smith plant, which manufactures paper plates and other paper products.

Georgia-Pacific said Thursday that the new technology and equipment will increase the Dixie plant's current capacity for assorted sizes of paper plates. The plant now employs 350 workers, but the company says that number may grow once the expansion is complete next year.

The company operates 10 facilities throughout Arkansas with more than 2,400 workers in the state.